Performance

It will eventually come down to performance. What you have learned and the manner in which you have learned it are important, but the dean's list is not going to keep you on somebody's job. Recognitions from the past are nice, but they will not carry you beyond where you are. A good reputation is an ally, but it will only keep people off your back temporarily. There will come a time where you and I must prove we can get it done consistently. Life has been studied, but life is more than a science. Life has been observed and appreciated, but it's greater than art. Even if the question is not asked out loud there are people around us that want to know how we will perform to make their lives better. They are not really even all that interested in what we have done. Folk want to know if we can make it happen now. Performance will ultimately exceed credentials. Bill Gates has shown us that. Performance is also superior to our history. Just look at all the hullabaloo surrounding Peyton Manning. We may not be on a stage like those gentlemen, but we can be sure we are being evaluated based on what we can do. Excellence is the name of the game. Have a great day doing your very best because people are watching.